PCHI is working to dramatically improve health outcomes while reducing the need for costly and unnecessary emergency room admissions through investments in housing and services which provide stability and support for those caught in this cycle.
Background
In 2011, there were 60,031 hospitalizations in Chicago for behavioral health conditions. A significant portion of those hospitalizations were individuals who rotate between emergency departments, jails, and homeless shelters. This rotation is not only costly and chaotic but also ineffective in providing care and improving patient outcomes. A long history of structural racism has meant that older Black men with behavioral health conditions disproportionally cycle in and out of hospital emergency rooms, the justice system, and the homeless shelters and assistance programs. The Foundation is working to dramatically improve health outcomes while reducing the need for costly and unnecessary emergency room admissions through investments in housing and services which provide stability and support for those caught in this cycle.
Partners
COOK COUNTY HEALTH
Cook County Health hired its first ever Housing Director to lead and coordinate housing and support services for those at risk for behavioral health admissions across the Cook County Health and Hospital System.
INNER-CITY MUSLIM ACTION NETWORK
IMAN increased and expanded their behavioral health care services, built an emergency room diversion project with area hospitals, and created integrated behavioral health teams consisting of case managers, therapists, and interns.
CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
CSH administers the Chicago and Cook County Flexible Housing Pool designed to reorient the crisis response system to a collective impact approach that uses housing as a health intervention. The Housing Pool creates new supportive housing capacity to 1) improve housing stability; 2) increase use of appropriate health services; 3) reduce use of crisis care services; and 4) increase cost avoidance opportunities.